Synthesis of Cu3Sn alloy nanocrystals through sequential reduction induced by gradual increase of the reaction temperature.

Cu3Sn alloy nanocrystals are synthesized by sequential reduction of Cu and Sn precursors through a gradual increase of the reaction temperature. By transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV/Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, the alloy formation mechanism of Cu3Sn nanocrystals has been studied. The incremental increase of the reaction temperature sequentially induces the reduction of Sn, the diffusion of Sn into the preformed Cu nanocrystals, resulting in the intermediate phase of Cu–Sn alloy nanocrystals, and then the formation of Cu3Sn alloy nanocrystals. We anticipate that the synthesis of Cu3Sn alloy nanocrystals encourages studies toward the synthesis of various alloy nanomaterials.